White Devil
by Extrinsical
Summary: Part I of the Dēcadent Series. The white chalk. FateNanoha.
1. I

Posted: 27/07/2007

Notes:  
1. Our characters in this fic are sixteen-ish. If you squint hard enough, you may notice a reference to the other fic, _Feathers_. Possibly a prequel to MGLN StrikerS.

2. As much as I would have liked to see something like this happening in canon, I doubt it. MGLN series were never this dark; except for recent episodes of StrikerS. It's comparable, but not that comparable. So this is an AU. Sort of. It _could_ happen in canon, and it's an entirely reasonable scenario should some things take place. But then again, it's only a "what if" situation.

3. Not much spoilers, but there still are some. I stole the infamous fanon nickname of _White Devil_ for several obvious reasons. I'm almost sure it's not something canon - and while Vita was the one who started all of these, I could not find any evidence that the name was made a running joke in the continuation of the anime; instead made popular by the fans. So, here, I give my kudos to the one who made the name 'White Devil' famous in this fandom, whoever it may be. And to Vita too, of course.

4. I was going to post this a few hours ago, but the summary halted me. Since I didn't know what to put in summary. Meh.

5. Enjoy.

-o-

_**White Devil**__  
Part I_

-o-

There were very, very few things that could make Takamachi Nanoha angry.

Of course, there had been plenty of times when she would get annoyed or irritated; and she wasn't at all immune to arguments.

She was only human, after all.

But...none of those times, _none of them_, could ever make Nanoha seethe with rage.

Pure, animalistic rage.

That day was the first time her wrath had been truly unleashed. Never mind the times she attacked Fate, Vita or the Book of Darkness with all her might, _this_ was different.

She did not unleash her power out of concern.

She unleashed it out of vicious rage.

It was also the first time her hands had almost been stained with blood.

Almost.

-o-

"Medical team, move!" Amy nearly shouted, hands flying across the flat, glowing keyboard deftly. Her eyes darted across the screen. "The Takamachi siblings are at coordinates X: 43.27, Y:23.55! Permission for transfer granted! Go. Go!"

"_Team C, reporting. Takamachi Momoko and Takamachi Shiro have been found."_ A pause, and the voice faltered a little. "_Critical condition. He's losing a lot of blood. We need the medical team ASAP. Current location, section five; X: 32, Y: 58.53."_

"Shamal-san!"

"_I'm going,_" came the quick reply.

Chrono's fist tightened.

"All four of the Takamachi family have been located," Amy reported. Her voice was strangely hard, yet still impressively professional.

"Find him," Admiral Chrono Harlaown said, voice tight and cold. "_Find him_."

"On it," she replied, hands working frantically across the keyboard.

"God," muttered the girl. There was a hint of desperation in her tone, even as her gaze darted across screens. "Don't let Nanoha-chan find him first."

-o-

Fate Testarossa-Harlaown took in a deep breath, trying - with all her might - to clear her head.

The pain was intense, too intense.

She could barely think, let alone move.

A chuckle.

The blonde stiffened, and the metal chain that tied her left hand to the wall rattled.

She hissed, "_Bastard_."

"Such a word is unbecoming for a lady, Testarossa-san," murmured the chuckling man.

Fate didn't curse very often, but she had no kind words for this one man. "It suits you," she said, voice dripping with venom.

At that, he smiled. "Yes. I guess it does, doesn't it?" His voice turned thoughtful. "I suppose it is true as well. I am a bastard child, after all."

The blonde's trained ears heard the faint sound of an explosion.

Burgundy eyes narrowed at him coldly. "And your point?"

"Hm?" He blinked. "Oh, nothing, really." He glanced behind him. "You must have heard the explosion as well, I'm sure."

She did not reply, and only glared.

He sighed. "Not feeling talkative, hm?" The floor shook, and the chain rattled again. "But that's all right," he stepped closer. "I suppose there's no longer any time to talk."

Fate leaned back, wary.

He tsked. "Don't be shy now." He gestured with his hand, and a dark grey magic circle glowed under Fate.

She tried to prepare herself; honestly she did.

"Let's make you a little more presentable, shall we?" he said pleasantly, and waved his hand once.

The circle brightened, and her skin tingled. It itched at first, as if ants were crawling all over her, but then it grew more intense, more pressuring, and it was _suffocating_. She gritted her teeth. He was wreaking havoc with her system, and she felt bile rise up her throat, pain - as if needles were stabbing into every part of her body repeatedly - flooding her nerves and brain.

She tried to hold it in, unwilling to succumb.

Blood dripped from the side of her lips, and she choked out dark liquid.

"Stubborn, aren't we?" he murmured. He gestured again.

The pain came back tenfold, as if electricity flowed through her every vein; crackling, sharp, and burning.

She could not hold it in this time.

Blood splattered to the floor; overlapping dried, dark patches of black liquid.

It was a piercing scream.

Then an explosion - so very close - shook the room, and the wall at the far end of the chamber collapsed.

Through the smoke and dust flying in the air, a shadow stepped into the light of the room.

The shadow took two steps forward, and stopped.

Dust settled.

He smiled, and the circle dimmed; just slightly.

"The perfect timing to accompany that lovely scream, no, Testarossa-san?"

The blonde heaved for breath, even as relief flooded into her veins. "You..." she managed to rasp out, despite the pain clouding her mind, "_sick _bastard."

He chuckled, and addressed the newcomer.

"...Welcome to my humble abode, Takamachi Nanoha."

The white mage's gaze was as cold as a glacier, and her face was emotionless.

She did not say anything, staff gripped loosely.

A few moments passed, before he sighed again.

"She's as bad as you, Testarossa-san." A pause, before he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I mean worse. She's not even talking."

The blonde's only reply was the gritting of her teeth, before burgundy eyes darted to Nanoha.

The other hadn't reacted. She didn't even so much as move.

Fate could not recognize her, save for the face.

She looked...different. Too different.

Too cold and too hard.

Slate blue eyes dark and emotionless.

Nanoha hadn't spared the blonde a glance.

Unease rose in Fate's chest.

"You," Nanoha begin softly, "kidnapped my family." Her voice was strangely gentle, and yet somehow apathetic. "You tortured them. You scarred them."

A pause.

"You _hurt_ them."

Her staff was raised, slowly.

"So I did," he acknowledged. The grey circle under Fate brightened just a little, and the blonde flinched involuntarily from the sudden spark that tingled through her nerves.

Nanoha's gaze narrowed just a fraction.

Just a fraction.

Her staff lowered.

"You would do that to someone who saved your life?" she asked quietly, almost curiously.

He raised an eyebrow. "Who?" A pause, before he remembered. "Oh. You mean," he glanced at the blonde girl behind him, "her?"

"I was so close to killing you," murmured Nanoha, "but Fate stopped me."

It was said with such ease, as if it was just some idle chatter. It was, in retrospect, also the first time Nanoha dropped the suffix she always added to her friend's name.

The unease Fate felt grew. This wasn't Nanoha. This wasn't the kind girl she knew anymore. Nanoha would never speak of killing as if it was something normal. The blonde tried to focus, despite the pain. She tried to contact Asura. She tried to contact her brother. With the destruction done by the white mage, the wards that blocked her magic no longer worked.

The conversation between him and Nanoha, in the meanwhile, continued.

"Ah," he smiled. "I'm thankful, really." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It really was a close call."

"Yes," the brown-haired mage nodded, "A fairly close call. She stepped right in front of you, and blocked my attack."

A minute of silence.

"And because she withstood the blast of my attack, she was left defenseless for a moment," Nanoha's gaze flickered briefly to Fate before returning, "and you used it to take her."

Another pause.

"You took my family. You took my friend." She said it as if she was reciting from a book.

"So I did," he replied, nodding. "And?"

"You targeted my family...then you went for Arisa and Suzuka. And despite the fact you failed..."

A pause.

"Admiral Harlaown is a clever man," he admitted. "He saw through me."

"He is," replied Nanoha. Her voice was still flat. "But you took Fate after that."

"A gold mine," he said truthfully. "Who would have thought I would be able to get my hands on one of the bureau's Aces? Testarossa-san was a better catch than those two girls combined, especially considering the rumors that floated around the two of you."

"You proceeded to torture her, day and night," continued the brown-haired mage. "...And you sent the videos to me, specifically."

There was a long moment of silence before Nanoha spoke again.

"Your target is me, isn't it?"

He bowed. "I applaud your intelligence, Takamachi-san."

"Why?"

"Why?" He repeated, amused. "There's no 'why', really. Or maybe there is. You wreaked havoc on my organization, destroyed everything that was mine, and..." He smiled. "Well, that's really it," he said mockingly.

"Revenge?" murmured the brunette.

"Aa," he nodded, crossing his hands. "I suppose you can say that."

-o-

"_Chrono. Chrono!"_

_"Fate? Is that you?"_ The admiral gestured at Amy, who worked quickly to track the communication signal.

_"What...what happened to her?"_

_"...Nanoha's there, isn't she?"_

_"Yes. Chrono - "_

_"I'm coming over."_ He glanced at his fiancée. "I'm going there. The situation doesn't look good. You are in command, Amy."

Chrono retrieved a card from his pocket, sliding it between two fingers.

"Durandal."

"_Okay, boss_."

-o-

Fate tuned back to the conversation in front of her, even as she chanted a spell at the back of her mind - even as the fatigue and pain she felt made it all the harder to focus her strength and magic to the appropriate level for the spell.

"And now that I am here," Nanoha was saying, "What will you do to me...Takeru-san?"

"Honest truth? I don't know," he admitted. "I did not foresee you storming in here. You had not given me that kind of impression."

She was silent.

"But, I suppose, having your precious family and friend caught is bound to do something," he acknowledged. "And I will be caught shortly, I'm sure. The whole building is full of the bureau dogs, and my people could barely hold a finger to them."

They grey circle underneath Fate brightened again.

"...But that doesn't mean," he said pleasantly, "That I cannot see you suffer, Takamachi-san. It will be my greatest pleasure yet."

The blonde braced herself, even as she tried to collect the amount of magic she needed.

For the first time that day, Nanoha smiled.

"...I see."

The smile was unnerving, to say the least, when her eyes did not show any emotion.

Pink balls of light formed around the room.

He glanced around.

His smile had faltered slightly.

"The moment she cries out in pain," Nanoha murmured softly, "I will assure you that my face will be the last thing you see, Takeru-san."

He turned his gaze back to her.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, already gaining back his posture.

The grey circle glowed even brighter.

Fate - and perhaps Nanoha - knew that the brighter the circle was, the more painful it would be. She had experienced it first hand, and this was the brightest yet that Takeru had channeled.

She gritted her teeth, raising a shaking hand.

He hadn't noticed yet, back turned to her.

Nanoha didn't show any reaction either.

The blonde's voice was a hoarse whisper.

"_Bind_."

He snapped his head around, even as lightning rings clasped around his wrists and ankles.

Nanoha did not so much as move, only grasping her staff a little more tightly.

Raising Heart blinked. "_Shoot._"

The pink balls of light - all of them - zoomed in towards the man.

Fate tried to stop the other, shouting. "Nanoha! Don't do - !"

But it was too late.

Smoke and dust filled the room again.

For a moment, fear rose in her chest. She hoped against hope, hoped that he did not die. The circle beneath her had disappeared.

Her trained ears caught the sound of a strangled cough.

Nanoha's eyes narrowed a fraction again.

The dust settled, and he - still bound by Fate's magic - was hanging in mid-air, bruised and bleeding badly. His head was bowed. Unconscious?

Blood dripped to the floor.

Pink balls of light formed again, in all angles of the room.

"Nanoha," Fate tried, desperate. "Don't do it." She tried to stand up, and her legs shook.

But the balls only brightened, and grew bigger. Much bigger than Fate expected them to be.

A magic circle had formed underneath Nanoha.

"Nanoha," the blonde said, more calmly this time, trying to project reassurance into her voice. With that much power compressed into those balls, Fate knew that the brunette did not intend to just kill that man. She wanted him to _disappear_.

"He's not worth it," she said calmly despite the hoarse voice, magic forming in her right hand. And with it, she forcefully broke the chain on her wrist; ignoring the sharp, _sharp_ pain that jarred her skin. She stood slowly, and dragged herself over to Nanoha. "Relax, Nanoha._ Relax_."

The brunette did not even move.

But her slate blue eyes were fixed on her; cool and distant.

Fate flinched involuntarily from the pain that shot up her left hand, and she grasped it tightly with her other hand even as she continued to move; wobbly and wavering.

"Ha...haha..."

Blue eyes turned back to the man who, apparently, wasn't unconscious.

"What a pitiful state you are in, Testarossa-san," he said snarkily.

Nanoha stared, her recently loosened grip on Raising Heart tightening again.

Fate knew instantly what he was trying to do.

"Don't listen to him, Nanoha!"

He let out a mocking laugh. "My treatment has done you wonders, no? Marvelous. Marvelous!"

The blonde ignored him, and kept Nanoha's hand that held the staff low. "Don't listen to him, Nanoha," she ground out, "_Don't_ listen to him."

"Look at you, tattered and bleeding! You can barely even stand!"

The white mage's only response was to take Fate's hand by the wrist with hers; holding it firmly but gently.

Raising Heart was raised once more with her free hand, pointed at him.

"Ah," he murmured as if he remembered something. "You tasted wonderful too."

Emotion flickered on Nanoha's face, her blue eyes darkening for the first time.

"...You touched her?" she queried quietly.

Fate, in contrast, looked startled. Even bewildered.

His reply was to laugh. "What do you think?" he drawled out, "She has a body that men find hard to resist, Takamachi-san. And I...I am only one such man in this world."

The brunette's grip on both Fate's wrist and the staff tightened.

"Nanoha!" Fate nearly shouted, trying to escape that strong hold - which was a useless endeavor, given her current condition. "Don't - "

"Raising Heart."

"_Yes, my master._"

The balls of light began to spin rapidly.

He smirked.

"Nano - "

"Shoot."

The balls sped.

There was a flash of blue.

And then there was an explosion.

-o-

A/N.

Nanoha is one scary girl? D:

The thing with Nanoha, is that I can see her acting both ways, emotional or unemotional. Which made it all the easier to define her behavior here as ooc, and at the same time, very-in-character. The decisive point that made me decide on unemotional was evidence of how she reacted to upsetting situations in episode nine of StrikerS. Backing that up would be the fact she's trained as an instructor for years. Patience may not come easy, but years of instructing students is bound to make her change in one way or another.

And I must admit, I was a little hesitant about this chapter. I'm not without doubt myself, to see her act this way. The scene(s) above are sort of a write-as-you-go-along kind of story. Response by readers can prove to be intimidating, sometimes, when I don't think I can bring up the level of writing to the standards of the other fic, _Feathers_. Though this is something I write out of enjoyment, I'd like to see other people enjoy this as well, so I hate to disappoint.

So, hopefully, this is a good read for all of you. Coming up next, part two of three.

Cheers,  
Eagle


	2. II

Posted: 04/08/2007

-o-

_**White Devil**  
Part II_

-o-

The explosion shook the ground, and Fate flinched involuntarily from the aftereffects as smoke and dust burst in the air - only to realize that Nanoha had already brought her close, shielding her from the worst of it as transparent pink barrier flared.

She felt her magic, which had created the rings which held Takeru, disappear.

The blonde gripped white cloth tightly, and her eyes squeezed shut.

Failed.

Failed.

_She failed to stop her._

"You idiot," she whispered hoarsely, her fists crumpling the clothes further. Her left hand was probably throbbing with pain, but she could no longer feel it. Her thoughts - all of them - were of the person who held her. "You big..." Her voice choked. "...Idiot."

Nanoha didn't respond, eyes fixed on the - battered, broken - man hidden by clouds of smoke.

That much power would have torn Takeru limb to limb.

_drip_

And blood - she could hear the sound of blood trickling to the floor - there would be so much blood...

_drip_

The blonde cursed herself. Cursed her inability to stop Nanoha. Cursed -

"Ugh..."

Burgundy eyes snapped open.

That voice -

"...Dammit, Nanoha."

Fate stared.

Nanoha's eyebrow rose slightly.

The dust settled.

Blood dripped to the floor.

_crack_

Chrono grunted.

His staff - Durandal - had cracked all over, and the blue orb blinked every other second. From his shaking fingers, which held the staff upright in front of him, dark liquid trickled down the white stick. There was a deep gash on the side of his head, and he shut an eye to prevent the still-flowing blood from entering.

And behind him, Takeru was on the floor, alive but unconscious, judging by his heavy breathing, the fact he had not spoken, and his still posture. Durandal had taken the worst of the attack, but not all of it.

Fate, torn between relief and concern, could only stare.

With a shaking hand, Chrono raised his broken staff at Nanoha. His other hand fell lifelessly by his side, and it seemed to be bent at a slightly odd angle.

"Put away your device, Nanoha," he ordered.

Slate blue eyes glanced to Takeru for a moment, before her grip on Raising Heart tightened.

It did not go unnoticed by either Chrono or Fate.

"There is no longer anything else he can do, Nanoha." Chrono said calmly. "Put. Your. Weapon. _Down_."

Nanoha only gave a blank stare.

Fate tried to straighten herself, only to stumble - but the white mage tightened her grip around the blonde's waist, allowing her to stay upright.

"Nanoha," Fate grabbed the other's face with both hands, forcing the brunette to look at her. "Listen to me. Takeru did not do anything to me. He _did_ not." She pressed on, watching a flicker of emotion in those blue eyes. "He did _not_ touch me, Nanoha."

"He..." Nanoha repeated, slowly but numbly. "He...did not?"

"No," replied Fate, burgundy eyes searching the other's, "_No_. He didn't. He hurt me - " slate blue eyes grew darker momentarily, and the blonde was quick to continue, " - but he did not touch me."

Chrono took this as his cue to continue. "He was baiting you, Nanoha." His voice was sharp.

"...Bait...ing?"

"What better misery to put you in other than to have blood on your hands?" he said harshly before Fate could stop him. "That was what this bastard wanted, Nanoha. He wanted you to _suffer_."

The blonde saw more and more emotions flash through those blue eyes.

Chrono wasn't done.

"You may not regret it now, but will you in the future?" he said, his tone hard. "Your conscience will suffer for eternity, Nanoha. He - this bastard - is _not_ worth it. And - "

He stopped when Fate - wordlessly – told him that he had said enough with darkening burgundy eyes.

Chrono took in a deep breath.

"Nanoha," he said, "if you do not want to be called in for insubordination, you _will _follow my orders. _Drop. Your. Weapon_."

The white mage was still.

Fate reached for the hand that held Raising Heart.

"Nanoha," she whispered, voice soft but urgent. "_Nanoha_."

Slate blue eyes focused back on her.

"It's all right. _It's all right._ We...we are all safe now." The blonde squeezed Nanoha's hand a little, before starting to remove the brunette's fingers from the staff slowly.

Nanoha just stared as Fate worked her fingers from the staff gently.

"You don't have to fight anymore. You don't." Conviction was mustered into the hoarse voice, and two fingers were lifted off the staff.

"Fa...te...?" Nanoha. Her voice was small and choked, all of a sudden. Expressions stirred on that once emotionless face, a mix of various things: sadness, happiness, relief, anger, guilt...

"Yes," the blonde murmured in reply. "Yes. I'm here, Nanoha."

"Fate...Fate..."

The staff dropped with a clatter.

A drop of water trickled down Nanoha's face.

"...Fate-chan..." She sounded so lost.

The battered mage held her close, a soothing hand on the brunette's back.

"I'm here," repeated the blonde. "I'm _here._"

Takamachi Nanoha, Ace of Aces. The famed 'White Devil' who was regarded so highly in the bureau, was the one who crippled every defensive system that Takeru and his underlings had set, carving a path for Asura to storm in. She worked her way in with such ease, decapitating _everything,_ and left Chrono and his officers to deal with the aftermath. She was the one who investigated the organization, the one who systematically begun to cripple its business, stopping one deal after another; and then later, she was the one who shot down the last of its operatives in the name of justice, and it was she, too, who laid waste to the organization's headquarters.

Today, she single-handedly destroyed what remained of Takeru's already deteriorated organization.

And now she cried.

Cried in earnest.

-o-

_Of all the Takamachi family members, Shiro was the only one with relatively dangerous physical injuries. _

_But, perhaps because Shiro was no stranger to life-threatening injuries like this, having been in that state before, he was well on his way to recovery, __especially with the addition of magic. The other three, with varying degrees of fatigue and stress - mentally and physically - were also recovering, much to Shamal's relief. __The things Takeru had done - they were not so much based on physical pain, but on mental suffering._

_Takeru, it seemed, was a man with words and not brute force - which made things easier and harder for the Takamachi family. For one, ph__ysical injuries had been many but mild. But on the other hand, the damage done to both the mind and heart was...heavy. It was also significantly harder to heal._

_But he had not taken into account that there was a possibility he could not break them. _

_Perhaps if Takeru remembered that Takamachi's family was not one that would be easily threatened, he would have resorted to physical torture alone. _

_It was his only mistake, one that would cost him greatly._

_However, if he had chosen to do so, and incurred permanent damage, no __one would have been able to save him from the wrath of one Takamachi Nanoha no matter how severe the consequences_

_Already it took a while for Nanoha to calm down; and it was something that happened only because Fate was there. And Chrono, despite his injuries, set his priorities on dealing with the aftermath of that incident._

_Nanoha was detained soon after._

_Takeru was arrested, held in place by numerous anti-magic wards._

_And __Fate - due to physical and mental exhaustion __- collapsed, and did not wake up for two days._

_A week later, Takeru Kisato was charged with kidnapping, assault, and torture of both civilian and TSAB forces. Secondary charges followed quickly__, as he was the mastermind behind one of the biggest syndicates that was brought down by Takamachi Nanoha. _

_It was life-term sentences on both counts, which would - to say the least - put him behind __bars until the day he died._

_But he was smiling all the way; at times even laughing. _

_Chrono - who was still in bandages and an __arm sling then - socked him full in the face, leaving bewildered judges and officers staring. His passing words were memorable ones, indeed, ones that Amy had no trouble quoting at him nearly every time she wanted something: "No one touches my sister without my permission, bastard." _

_As for Takamachi Nanoha; __insubordination, recklessness which endangered certain parties, the fact she unleashed her full strength, and destruction of valuable evidence, meant she was ordered to step down from her post temporarily, revoking her officer's status and putting her on leave for a __term of two months. _

_It could - and should - have been worse, but she was too valuable a mage for TSAB to lose; and both Admiral Chrono Harlaown and Lindy Harlaown vouched for her. The fact that Yagami Hayate and Fate Testarossa-Harlaown - the other two Aces of the bureau - backed Takamachi to the brim was also not forgotten._

_All in all..._

"...I will never know if I like military politics or not," muttered Amy, who was sitting in the chair by the bed.

"Maa, maa..." Shamal chuckled. "At least everything turned out fine."

It actually turned out better than they would have thought, but the blonde knight wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Green light faded from her hands, which hovered over Fate.

The blonde sighed, moving to sit up - assisted quickly by Shamal.

"Don't force yourself," reminded the doctor. "You still need plenty of rest."

Fate shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. "I'm sorry. I've been troubling you again."

"The three of you have been troubling me for _years_, Fate-chan," teased Shamal. "You don't have to apologize every time. Just get plenty of rest, heal properly, and I will be happy."

Said girl scratched her cheek awkwardly, before glancing at Amy. "Thanks for the information, Amy."

The brunette waved it off. "It's alright. Besides," she added, "hearing Chrono say that was priceless."

Fate's cheeks grew a little warm.

Amy snickered, hands clasped together. "Ah, what blackmail material this will give me..."

The blonde prayed for her brother's sanity.

Shamal, in the meanwhile, jotted down a final comment on the paper she held. "All right! You are free to go, Fate-chan. You have recovered from the malnutrition, fatigue, and stress. Your cuts and bruises are gone...but please be careful with your left hand." A pause, before a hint of disbelief entered her sweet voice. "You literally _shattered_ the top part of your bone at your wrist there, Fate-chan. Even if it was just to break the chain, wasn't that a bit too dangerous?"

The enforcer flushed a little. "I couldn't think of any other way," she said a little defensively. "I had..." she faltered. "Well...I had no time then."

The doctor sighed. "We managed to put them back together, but only just, Fate-chan." She warned. "You don't need the arm sling anymore, but it's not fine yet. Any heavy impact may undo our work on it." Another pause, before Shamal added with a significantly more threatening note in her amiable voice. "So you will need plenty of rest."

Fate opened her mouth, but Shamal was faster.

"That means no training," Shamal continued cheerily, "and no working..._ne_?"

That smile. That sweet, non-lethal smile.

Whatever Fate had been about to say was forgotten, and she leaned back - and away - from Shamal a little. "H-hai."

Shamal beamed. "Good girl!" She picked up a roll of fresh bandage from the bedside table, took Fate's left hand, and begun to wrap it around her wrist.

Amy pretended to look away with a barely suppressed grin when Fate's burgundy eyes darted to her with a glare.

"Um, I thought you said I don't need the arm sling anymore?"

"Mm-hm," Shamal nodded without pausing in her work. "You don't, but it would be better if you still keep it held securely. Less chance of jarring the bone." The doctor secured the wrapped bandage with a knot. "There, done."

The officer tested her hand, wiggling it lightly. It felt a little stiff.

"Now," said Shamal, glancing at her watch, "I have rounds to make. Be careful on your way back, Fate-chan."

Fate could have almost sworn the blonde knight was skipping out of the room, parading her victory.

The enforcer sighed and stood up, picking up her black jacket, which was folded on the table.

"Oh, come on." Amy gave her an exasperated look. "You are thinking of all the work that's been piling up ever since you got kidnapped, aren't you?" she asked accusingly.

And though Fate was not a whiner, the brunette detected a hint of it when the reply came.

"Weeks," muttered the blonde, rubbing her temples. "I was gone for _weeks_, Amy. I don't even know how much is on the table now. And if I don't get it done, it's going to pile up even more." A pause. "Amy... "

"No," the brunette answered the unsaid request, her tone clearly amused. "Doctor's orders, remember?"

"But - "

Amy dismissed the protest with a wave. "Let your brother handle it. He's been going wacko over the wedding preparations, and this will be good enough to distract him."

Fate blinked.

"What?"

-o-

"Um, delayed?"

"Well...lots of things have been happening," admitted Amy, one hand pressing a blue folder to her chest as she walked next to Fate. "Delay was inevitable."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Fate-chan," a hint of amusement and exasperation was in the older woman's voice.

"But still..."

Amy rolled her eyes, and poked the blonde. "Fate-chan," her tone was final and brooked no arguments. "None of us expected this, least of all you."

Fate would have tried to argue back if she hadn't noticed a figure, sitting quietly on a bench, and instead stopped in her tracks.

Soft brown hair ruffled with the wind; shoulders slumped slightly, resting against the backing. Hands were pressed to the bench, and slate blue eyes distant as they stared up into the clear sky.

Nanoha.

"She was released from detainment earlier, since the investigations and trials are over," Amy said quietly, before adding, "Her term starts today too."

The blonde could not find a proper reply, eyes fixed on Nanoha.

Emotions warred in her. A week. It had been a week since she last saw her.

Amy was oddly silent, before Fate realized she was waiting for a reply.

But she didn't know what to say.

Eventually, she managed an, "Oh."

The brunette next to her patted her on the back, before giving her a light shove forward.

"A-Amy?"

"Go to her. I have to get back to Asura," the older woman smiled. "Your brother's been _nagging_ me to come back."

Fate couldn't help but chuckle at Amy's choice of words. Nagging. Her brother, _nagging_.

"I will see both of you later." Limietta waved lightly before leaving.

And with that, burgundy eyes focused back on the brunette who had yet to notice her.

For a few seconds, Fate could not bring herself to move; only staring.

Nanoha, at first glance, looked unreadable; merely distant, lost in thoughts. But, as Fate studied a little more closely, there was a faint hint of weariness.

She watched slate blue eyes darken momentarily, and fingers curl into fists.

And Fate knew why.

The blonde took one step forward, before pausing, and moving sideways.

Her steps were slow and soundless.

-o-

For the past week, and even much earlier, Nanoha's sleep had been far from peaceful.

Nightmares were a nightly occurrence.

They had gotten even worse in the last few days.

There were many, many things that she feared, but few she allowed to haunt her.

And here, her thoughts grew dark.

She remembered that day vividly. She remembered how her mind had been clouded by pure, uncontrolled rage; how she seemed to have lost all rational thinking; how she seemed to have lost all of the compassion that defined her; how her thoughts turned cold and cruel.

Nanoha never imagined she would be afraid of anyone, least of all herself.

But she was.

And she still is.

The brunette could still feel it faintly; the anger, the boiling blood, the way her mind went blank...and knew that should she see _him_ again, it would return in full force.

She was teetering on the edge, desperately trying to keep herself from falling.

Her fingers formed into fists.

She was afraid.

Afraid of herself, of how easily she allowed the cruel part of herself to take over. Of how, with just some simple taunts, her control slipped...

Mocking laughter echoed in her head.

Him. His voice.

Takeru.

No. She was falling.

Coldness seeped into her. The urge to hurt - _kill _ - came again, waiting to be released.

Her fists tightened.

Falling, and falling.

No.

No.

Don't let it take over.

Don't - she gritted her teeth, desperately trying to force down that cold laughter in her head.

Her figure shook.

If she hadn't been sitting on the bench, she would have crumbled to the ground.

No. No. Snap out of it. Snap -

More laughter.

That tone. That amused, sadistic tone.

Her body seemed to have only gone colder, and she shuddered.

Someone. Someone, help her. She can't take it.

Her fists were so tight they hurt, and her nails almost drew blood.

Someone. _Somebody_. Cold. It was cold. It was -

Darkness blinded her.

Nanoha flinched in surprise, startled.

A pair of warm, slender hands covered her eyes.

The back of her head was pressed lightly onto an even warmer, flat and soft surface.

What -

"Guess who?"

A faint, husky voice.

That voice. She knew that voice.

But her throat was locked. She couldn't speak.

"Nanoha?"

The tone was warm, warmer than she remembered, and the coldness shrank back.

But she still couldn't say anything. She still -

"Fate-chan?" The name came out before she even realized.

Hands lifted off her eyes, and she was suddenly looking up and into familiar burgundy eyes.

"Correct." There was a kind smile on that face.

Nanoha could only stare, at a loss for words.

Blonde eyebrows creased slightly when there was no response.

Hands wrapped around her, and the figure standing behind her leaned closer, cheek pressed to the side of her head.

"What's wrong?" A murmur.

There was a light fragrance which Nanoha recognized. A scent that was uniquely Fate's alone.

"Fate...chan..." A whisper. Trembling and afraid.

The other held her tighter.

Her vision blurred.

The figure behind her was familiar and warm, and the coldness left her.

Warm.

It was finally warm again.

-o-

A/N:

I was set to post this on the ninth of August but...ah, screw the timing. I need some motivation and inspiration for writing, and I'm nowhere near to getting them. I'm getting deprived, actually. So. Like what most authors says, and I quote, reviews are food for the writers. :P

(So yes, if you want more fic materials from me, reviews please. -_cackles_-)

And I guess this chapter confirms what happened to Fate, so none of you're turning into white devil(s), I hope. To be entirely honest, though, this chapter is pretty much an ending by itself...but then it would feel a little incomplete, probably. I've also entertained the idea of permanent damage on the Takamachi family (maybe to Fate, too?)...it would have created more of an impact. But then it wouldn't be very canon. And I'm trying to stick to canon, so, meh.

Lastly, be warned, dear readers, next chapter is totally gooey and fluffy and...well, I suppose I'm a little more obvious with the pairing this time as compared to the first MGLN fic. WD3 is already done, so it will be up in a week or so...but I still need inspiration for other materials, if you know what I mean? Yes? Yes.

So until then. :D  
Eagle


	3. III

Posted: 11/08/2007

-o-

_**White Devil**  
Part III_

_"Kimi ni aitakunatta nara"  
- Donna Burke & Kevin J. England, MGLN OST._

_I want to see you._

-o-_  
_

Clothes rustled.

"So you have seen your family?"

Nanoha managed a little smile, hugging her knees.

"Yeah..." A pause, and her voice cracked. "Thank god they are fine..."

Fate, who had only just unbuttoned her shirt, glanced at her.

The blonde studied her for a moment; that saddened, distant expression.

Then she climbed up the bed, plopping herself by the other's side, and pulled her into a hug.

Slate blue eyes closed, head coming to rest against Fate.

No words were said, and the room was suddenly silent.

A sob.

Fate tightened her hold, pressing a gentle kiss to the soft brown head.

Nanoha - her stifled cries - broke the silence in the room.

The blonde held her close, murmuring sweet nothings to her.

It wasn't very long before the crying subsided, and Fate smiled a little as Nanoha sniffled.

"Better?" She was still holding her, and Nanoha had leaned against the blonde fully.

The brunette's face turned inward, and buried into the curve of Fate's neck.

"Yeah," the response came.

Thick but clear.

Fate's smile grew a fraction, even as she stroked Nanoha's back up and down gently.

"...Thanks for staying over, Fate-chan."

"It's alright. You didn't want to be alone, and since your family is at the hospital now..." The blonde trailed off. They were currently at Nanoha's residence...on Earth. The rest of the Takamachi family was still in Mid-childa, receiving treatment. The house and the coffee shop were still a mess from a certain kidnapping incident, and Nanoha had been in no condition to clean up then.

Nanoha pulled away slowly, and the other released her.

The brunette rubbed at her red eyes, wiping away her tears.

Another sniffle.

Fate couldn't resist a tease. "Crybaby."

"No I'm not," protested the girl, voice cracked but indignant, and she continued to rub at her eyes.

The blonde chuckled, and took hold of Nanoha's hand. "Don't do that. You will ruin your eyes."

A faint pout formed on Nanoha's face, even as Fate wiped away remnants of tears gently.

"...Suzuka and Arisa said they would come over tomorrow morning," the blonde said after a moment.

Blue eyes blinked.

"To help clean up," continued Fate, head cocked slightly; indicating the house.

There was a pause before Nanoha replied, voice softer.

"Oh."

And sadder.

Concern flickered in burgundy eyes.

Then Fate clapped her hands once, and Nanoha glanced at her.

"Time to sleep," announced the blonde, and lifted the blanket to cover the other, pushing her down to the bed.

Blue eyes could only blink as the soft blanket was pulled up to her chin.

"We have to be up early tomorrow for cleaning, remember?" Fate reminded, a smile on her face.

Blonde hair tickled Nanoha's cheek.

The brunette could only stare.

Burgundy eyes, warm and gentle, gazed back at her.

Nanoha felt the tears form at the corner of her eyes again.

"...Yeah." Her voice cracked.

Fingers grasped at strands of long blonde hair.

"Fate-chan..."

"Yes?"

The strands of hair in her hand felt soft and silky.

"I..."

"I...?" encouraged Fate quietly.

"What...was I like?"

She blinked.

Nanoha averted her gaze.

"That day...with...Takeru...san..." Her voice was a trembling whisper. "I..."

Blonde eyebrows creased slightly.

"That name," Nanoha said suddenly, "that...nickname of mine...I really lived up to it, didn't I?" A bitter tone, "That 'White Devil' name..."

"Nanoha..."

The hand that fisted in blonde hair tightened.

"Tell me, Fate-chan..." Blue eyes turned back to her, searching. "I want the truth. Just the truth."

For one long moment, the other couldn't respond.

"...When..." Fate paused, and searched for the right words. "When I saw you, I couldn't recognize you. You changed so much that I was surprised." A faint, sad smile.

_A pair of blue eyes so cold and dark._

Nanoha's expression hadn't changed; but the desire for honesty was still there.

"I was really surprised. I...understood that you were really angry, but..." The blonde stopped, at a sudden loss for words. "Then when you said you were so close to...killing...him, I knew you weren't just angry."

"I hate him," Nanoha turned away, voice shaking. "I _hate_ him."

"I know," the soft reply came. There was the brief rustle of movement, and Fate settled herself beside the other, one side of her cheek resting on her palm as her elbow pressed onto the bed. Her other hand was laid across Nanoha's stomach.

"...I was really like a devil then, weren't I?"

Burgundy studied distant, saddened blue eyes.

"White Devil..." murmured Fate, tasting the sound of it on her lips.

It sounded strange.

"No," the blonde said after a moment, and saw a flicker of surprise in Nanoha's features. "I don't think so, Nanoha."

Her voice was soft and gentle.

"Not a devil, Nanoha," she said quietly; her hand moving to caress the brunette's cheek. "That name doesn't suit you."

"But...!" A slender finger was pressed to those lips.

"...You are an angel." Faint smile.

"An...gel?"

That day, you were a fallen angel." The words were becoming easier to form, now that Fate found the right name.

_Battered, broken wings..._

"You reacted that way because we were hurt by him. You were worried...and you were angry."

_White feathers painted black..._

"A vengeful, fallen angel..."

A soft kiss was pressed to Nanoha's forehead.

Warm breath blew onto skin.

"...And today, that angel is healing." A faint smile that grew a fraction. "Her wings are mending."

Blue eyes blurred with tears.

Her chest felt heavy, and tears threatened to spill.

But strangely enough, her mind was clear and fresh, as if light had washed away the darkness.

"Fate...chan..."

"Finally," murmured Fate, as their faces closed. "You are smiling again."

Before Nanoha could reply, the blonde stole her breath.

No other coherent words were spoken that night.

-o-

When she woke up, she felt fatigued and sore, yet strangely refreshed.

Sunlight peeked in from the small openings of the curtain.

Her dreams were not dark for the first time in a few weeks.

"Mnn.."

The blanket covered them, but she felt the hands around her bare waist tighten a little, bringing her a little closer to the other - and her nose almost touched the blonde's neck.

Rough cotton grazed her back.

Ah.

The bandage on Fate's wrist...

Blue eyes darkened momentarily.

And the other, as if sensing that even in slumber, leaned closer.

Nanoha glanced up, a flicker of surprise in her features.

Burgundy eyes were closed, and blonde hair was spread across the bed, almost wildly, a stray hair perched on her shoulder.

The brunette smiled a little.

Nanoha couldn't recall a time when Fate looked more peaceful. Not that the blonde didn't usually look like that, but this was the most peaceful yet that she had seen.

Slowly, she disengaged herself from the other.

Careful, Nanoha chanted to herself, don't wake her up...

She managed to sit up halfway; her progress halted by the fact Fate had her hands around her.

The blanket pooled to her waist.

Her cheeks warmed.

Nevermind the fact she wasn't wearing _anything_ right now, the sheet that was dragged slightly lower revealed smooth skin of the sleeping girl and - she was _staring_ - she tore her gaze away, pulled the blanket up and covering the other.

Until it reached the other's nose, that is.

But even then her cheeks did not see fit to cool down.

Probably because she herself was still very much bare right now.

Very quietly, she tried to remove Fate's hand from her waist, and succeeded at lifting the hands off her -

"...And where are you planning to go?"

Nanoha jumped.

One burgundy eye opened, and the brunette wondered if she imagined the glint of mischief in there.

"F-Fate-chan! Y..." she stammered, flushing; and hands wrapped around her again. "You are awake?"

The blonde, in the meanwhile, nudged the blanket downward again.

"Couldn't breathe," she groggily said, indicating at the blanket. Her hands pulled Nanoha towards her, and back to the bed, close to her.

"Oh. Er.." A dumbfounded response. "Sorry."

"Mmn, don't worry about it." Burgundy eyes closed, and Fate's chin rested atop Nanoha's head.

And after a moment of silence, it became clear to the brunette that the other was drifting off to sleep again.

"...Fate-chan?"

"Mmm?"

"It's...morning."

"Hmm..." A sleepy acknowledgement, but it looked like Fate had no plans to move from their comfortable position.

Nanoha tried a different tactic. "Didn't you say Suzuka-chan and Arisa-chan will be coming over?"

"I did," came the mutter. Burgundy eyes were still closed. "I told them afternoon."

Blink.

"You did?"

"Nn...asked Bardiche to inform them sometime last night..."

Another blink.

"What? When?" Nanoha leaned back, and stared at Fate. "I don't remember you saying that."

The blonde let out a small grunt at the sudden lack of heat, and deep red eyes opened to look at her.

At first there was slight irritation, then a moment later rare mischief flickered in them.

She suddenly didn't look so sleepy anymore, and before Nanoha could react, the other was suddenly above her; hands pinning her in the middle.

"...F-Fate-chan?" And despite herself, Nanoha's face warmed further. Their skin did _more_ than just graze each other, and last night's incident was still _very _fresh in her mind.

Burgundy eyes, warm and mirthful, gazed into hers, as if she was stripping her bare even on the inside.

Then the faint, husky reply came.

"I don't think you noticed anything else when I was touching you, Nanoha."

A pause.

A long, long pause.

Nanoha's face turned cherry red; and her blue eyes, for some reason, were fixed on Fate's bare shoulders.

"A-ah..er...o-oh. I...s-see."

There was a moment of silence.

Actually, a very long moment of silence.

It was so long that Nanoha had to struggle with herself internally, but she eventually glanced back up to look at Fate.

Blue eyes blinked.

The blonde was...well, her mouth was clamped shut, and she appeared to be trying very, very hard to suppress a grin.

Their gaze met again, and Fate let out a chuckle.

"F..Fate-chan?"

A snigger this time.

Nanoha could only stare in confusion, and for a moment, she wondered if last night's events had worn her out more than -

A pause.

Waitaminute -

Realization dawned on her. "Ah...!" Nanoha glared accusingly. "You're teasing me!"

The blonde laughed outright then, unable to hide it any longer.

"Fate-chan!" whined Nanoha. "Mou...!"

But the other wouldn't stop laughing, not until she was out of breath.

"Ahaha..." Fate wiped the tears of laughter that formed at the corner of her eyes, still snickering. "Your face was so red..."

"Fate-chan!"

Another burst of laughter.

A pout had formed on Nanoha's face by now, and she turned her head to a side, intent on ignoring the girl above her. "Hmph."

"Sorry..." Fate composed herself, controlling her mirth. "I couldn't help it." Another snigger.

The blonde was ignored.

Fate knew to stop laughing then, and she did, but she couldn't stop smiling. "...Forgive me?"

No response.

She grasped a few strands of brown hair, tugging lightly. "...Please? Nanoha?"

Slate blue eyes glanced back at her for a moment, before looking away huffily.

Fate's smile widened a fraction.

Her head lowered, and Nanoha stiffened when she felt lips brush against her neck.

A gasp.

"...Please?" It was a soft murmur against her skin.

A hand strayed downward.

Her breath was hot against Nanoha's flesh, and it almost burned.

"You..." Another gasp. "...cheater."

The blonde smiled.

"Only with you."

-o-

A/N:

So in reference to the second scene, I sort of imagined Fate as a tease (c_loset-_tease, rather). And a very good one, at that, if she actually sets her mind to it. I don't know why, but I've this feeling she's the type with a wicked sense of humor that only comes out once in a blue moon. A scene of Fate with a teasing nature is rare (non-existant as of yet?) in itself, so hopefully this will be a trigger for future Fate-is-a-prankster/teaser fics._ -looks amused - _I think they would be _very_ interesting and...of course, I meant fics done in a believable way, not in an ooc-way.

This is a somewhat short chapter, since I can't think of any other relevant stuff or whatsoever to write, so, meh. And about the chapter dedication...I'm willing to bet a particular reader is very surprised about it - but I'm also willing to guess that she will probably figure it out once she read the chapter. XD

The first version for the ending of the first scene in this chapter had been incredibly, painfully awkward, and I had been trying to fix it since, ah, three-four weeks ago? Now, see, the thing about Nanoha and Fate is that I can see the pairing happen, but I can also see it _not_ happening. There's like this...little fine line that separates the two of them where I need to squint very hard to find. I had been mulling over the scene for a long time, pressing delete and backspace many times. Nngh. I managed to go through it eventually, though it was rather awkward. But once the couple fact was established, the second scene moved more smoothly.

So that goes without saying. Sheitarou was a life savior with her review, to say the least. That phrase just made something in my head click, and I did a total change for the ending of that scene. Vengeful, fallen angel. Precisely what I needed. One that I believe works better than the previous version. So the credits goes to you, Sheitarou. Thank youuuuuuu. XD

And in response to the subject of Triangle Hearts...well, I was aware MGLN was a spin-off from that anime/game, but I hadn't bothered to research into it too much. I knew the Takamachi family was involved in something not very good, but I hadn't realised it was assasins. But even so. I cannot see them trying to teach a nine/eleven/sixteen year old girl about killing, let alone say it's _all right_ to kill and _not_ care about the consequences.

I won't say I see them trying their very best to not expose Nanoha to things such as killing, as I've gotten the impression they value independance a lot, and trust the kids to act on their own judgements. So while I can see them pointing out killing will change her in many ways, I can't see them _encouraging_ her to kill. Hurt in the name of self-defense or to protect, yes, but kill? No.

Nanoha is a compassionate girl by default; and killing someone _will _hurt and scar her; no matter what ethical values she hold. No matter what satisfaction she may feel at first, once realization sinks in, she would change. Fate knows that, Chrono knows that, and anyone who knows her would be able to tell. And considering I'm the author, rather than satisfaction, I would have written something like a sick, cold, empty feeling in her stomach.

Lastly. -_twitches_- Considering it is a spin-off, I am _willing_ to accept what happened in Triangle Hearts as canon but...that's just it. It's a spin-off, and unrelated to MGLN series. As it is, from what I can see (and assume) from the MGLN series alone, her family do not seem like that kind who would say, "Oh, killing is fine. Just do it." Can you see that? If you do, I won't say anything...but I can tell you I can't see that happening. So, meh.

In anycase...it's done. The last two months were the most productive times I have in terms of writing. I won't claim any new fics will come out anytime soon, though I will admit I do have some random scenes here and there...and my dear, _dear _beta _encouraging_ non-too-subtly for that not-yet-created AU fic...

BUT ANYWAY. I hope the fic's an enjoyable read and...it's nice to see the fandom getting active with fanfics. Very nice indeed. Kind of makes me wonder who will be the first to pull off a _long_ canon or AU _high school_ fic which is Nanoha/Fate centric...I think it would be something to look forward to, indeed. (And...good grief, I seem to be turning author notes into _very_ long notes every time. Blah. Maybe I should dedicate a section in...uh, LJ or forum or..._somewhere_ for some one-sided essays about MGLN.)

All in all...thanks for reading and reviewing. If there comes another chance, I will probably make another appearance. XD  
-Eagle


End file.
